Grace threatens Mnangagwa allies

HARARE - President Robert Mugabe’s controversial wife, Grace — who is increasingly seen as eager to succeed her husband — has bluntly told her post-congress Zanu PF foes who harbour presidential ambitions to leave the former liberation movement and form their own parties.

Speaking ahead of her Rushinga rally on Wednesday, and in remarks that party insiders said were directed at Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, the influential First Lady savaged youth league officials allegedly aligned to the embattled VP, telling them that they were not needed in the ruling party.

Well-placed sources who spoke to the Daily News yesterday said Grace was seething with anger when she met the ruling party’s Mashonaland Central provincial leadership in a closed-door meeting, just before she addressed the gathered crowds, and in the wake of the resignation of several youth league leaders around the country.

“Dr Amai (Grace) was very angry with the youth league, especially the much-talked about mass resignations of youth chairmen following the suspension of (Godfrey) Tsenengamu and his colleagues.

“She said very openly that all those who were not happy with her visit to Rushinga should leave the party and form their own parties,” a youth league executive member said.

“She also vowed that the party would not be held to ransom by the youth league members who think they are kingmakers in Zanu PF, warning them that their days and those of their handlers were numbered in the party,” he added.

Several youth chairpersons across the country, many of whom helped engineer Grace’s meteoric rise to the leadership of the women’s league, have recently resigned from their positions, citing intimidation and harassment by ruling party hardliners who accuse them of supporting Mnangagwa’s alleged presidential bid.

This followed the contested suspension from the party of Mashonaland Central youth chairperson Godfrey Tsenengamu, secretary for administration Paul Rwodzi, and secretary for security Batsirai Musani, who fell foul of Zanu PF’s much-abused votes of no-confidence last week.

Moving in solidarity with the trio, the party’s midlands provincial youth chairperson, Edmore Samambwa, his Matabeleland South counterpart, Washington Nkomo, as well as the Mashonaland West leader, Vengai Musengi, immediately resigned from their positions.

Grace followed up her behind-the-scenes tirade with another stern warning to her party rivals when she addressed her rally, saying that she would soon abandon her supposed “current diplomatic” approach and rebuke them in public.

“To those who are fanning factionalism, the party will discipline you and you must listen when I say this to you in private because I will not hesitate to blow the whistle,” Grace said, before warning that her foes would not be successful if they chose to leave the party.

“But the moment you are outside Zanu PF you are finished, you are gone. You are as good as dead. There is no life outside, it’s cold out there.

“The moment you are forced out, you have nowhere else to go because if you have noticed, the trend is that all who left Zanu PF to form their own party have not managed to make any progress,” she said.

As Grace addressed the rally— amid much pomp, ceremony and embarrassing bootlicking by, among others, Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko — it became glaringly clearer that no one in the post-congress Zanu PF could stop her if she continued to dream about succeeding her frail nonagenarian husband.

In fact, the controversial First Lady gave one of her clearest hints to date that she could be going for it, saying that she was mounting her rallies because she did not want to wait until the 2018 elections, as people would then be entitled to ask her where she would have been all along — a statement that insiders said exposed her presidential ambitions.

And as if to confirm that even Mphoko — who is senior to her, at least on paper — is not at her level, Grace went to the Mashonaland Central rally in a “presidential convoy” of two helicopters, while the dour VP hotfooted his way there by road, in addition to once again being humiliated by being asked to introduce his supposed junior to the crowds.

Seemingly to save face, Mphoko offered an unsolicited and unconvincing explanation to the crowds, saying he was happy to introduce Grace as she was Mugabe’s wife and thus represented the president wherever she went.

“President Mugabe is the centre of power and those that don’t want his leadership can move to the side and proceed to form their own party like (Simba) Makoni and (Dumiso) Dabengwa … now with utmost humility I introduce the First Lady,” the out-of-sorts VP said.

The increasingly-influential Grace provided yet another public demonstration of her power when a huge entourage of at least a dozen Cabinet ministers, an estimated 50 legislators and hundreds of other ruling party bigwigs from around the country accompanied her to the Rushinga rally.

Most of the Cabinet ministers and party officials who graced the rally are linked to Zanu PF’s ambitious Young Turks known as the Generation 40 (G40) group — that is said to be led by combative Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere — and which is locked in a bitter power struggle with Mnangagwa and his supporters, while expediently promoting Grace.

And as usual, the cash-strapped Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) was once again there to cover the rally live — a costly exercise that is usually reserved for her long-ruling husband, and for which the public broadcaster and its reporter Judith Makwanya unsurprisingly got high praise from the “Unconquerable”, while the independent media were excoriated.

Grace also used the occasion to blast unnamed ambitious veterans of the country’s liberation struggle, saying their participation in the gruelling war of independence was not a ticket for them to do as they pleased, as they were not the only ones to fight for Zimbabwe’s freedom.

Comments (26)

The adage Rome was not built in a day holds. Zanu split from Zapu in 1963 & did not get into power until 1980. The road is long and hard but to suggest that there is no life after zanu is nonsensical unless ofcourse there are no people driven by ideals in zanu.

Galore 123 - 16 October 2015

Chris Mutsvangwa..... Let's hear your response kana uine machende.

binya - 16 October 2015

I heard this Munangagwa guy is a Lawyer by training and also heard that his boss Mugabe has over seven degrees and I was told that this Grace who is cohabiting with a salty grand pa has a PhD. My question is if these people are this smart why is it so difficult for them to understand that its sunset? Grace just vomits words and the morons that follow her ululate! There is no medicine in hospitals, social amenities in the country is a nightmare and some foolish leader thinks he is worth more 13 million people, really? These monkeys think Zimbabwe is Zanu PF? Zimbabweans have been abused physically and emotionally for too long and its time to cut this cancer called Zanu PF aka Robert Mugabe

While Grace has a right to have presidential ambition its not right to say to the war vets, kuhondo kwacho makanga matumwa nani. I thought we were all fighting to rule the independent Zimbabwe but what she is saying is the same as the MDC youths of yester-year who once said dzokerai munoisungirira pamakaisunungura yigouyawo toisunungura. I think she is the one to be told to leave the party and form her own since the war vets formed this party that she wants to call hers.

The biggest asset that MDC T has is Grace mugabe, I think the more she talks the more of an asset she becomes to MDC. If only Tsvang could seize the opportunity, Grace knows nothing about diplomacy, some of the stuff that comes out of her mouth are really damaging but Tsvang can actually take advantage of that and counter attack somehow. I think MDC should start doing something now.

What Tsvang are you talking about lawe wena misty. He is equally finished if not worse. Tsvang wakho lowo has lost respect in the country and at international level. We do want leaders who can not manage their love affairs and claim to have the qualities to lead the country. Let us no waste time on this consistently stupid Tsvangi

Dumi Nyathi - 16 October 2015

shut up Dumo.leave Save alone.who else do you thing will have the courage to take on mugabe come 2018?matebeleland is worse.all professors are are cowards.only Dumiso Dabengwa is a man.all are zanu pf puppets.

She was lectured by Bob that muZimbabwe untonga kusvika madhongi amera nyanga. They are lining up their dynasty for the post of president kusvikira vese vakwana: mukadzi Grace, mwana musikana kozouya zvikomana vana Chatu nokuti maZimbos zvikukuvatvata.

Bobby Sadza reZwiyo - 16 October 2015

She was lectured by Bob that muZimbabwe unotonga kusvika madhongi amera nyanga. They are lining up their dynasty for the post of president kusvikira vese vakwana: mukadzi Grace, mwana musikana kozouya zvikomana vana Chatu nokuti maZimbos zvikukuvatavata.

Bobby Sadza reZwiyo - 16 October 2015

Grace seems to yield so much power but she needs to use it responsibly. I don't see responsibility and Grace go hand in hand though and that is the problem.

Inyika - 16 October 2015

Cling On oh Klingon, must disagree with misty about Grace being the MDC's greatest asset. Bob in his senility is a much greater asset in his own words "Pasi neZanu PF", in the logic of ZanuPf Zimbabwe is ZanuPf, ZanuPf is Zimbabwe. Perhaps he was really confusing the two as he has done this practice with a system which frightens investors, has destroyed food security and entrenched their own incompetence through violence and deceit. Cling On Oh Klingon!

Nooshie - 17 October 2015

Dumi Nyathi you are a lunatic who is full of confusion and sewage stuff in yo head . Who took away respect from Morgan ? You still believing in that nonsense which zanu always say or you a border gezi graduate blood sikhumba buzeze .Woza 2018 ngena Morgan

Diibulaanyika - 17 October 2015

She is very bold,forthright and very tactically.They are all silent now coz she has demanded accountability and the fulfilment of election promises.She wants to rebuild ,rebrand the party hence the boldness.

Aliphelithemba - 17 October 2015

Please guys give us news this routine rubbish of Doctor Amai or whatever about her rallies does not concern us at all.we have many issues to be given attention and space in newspapers

carson macate - 17 October 2015

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brend atrice - 17 October 2015

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brend atrice - 17 October 2015

@carson macate - what Grace does and says is of interest to most people whether you like it or not. Last year what she said at her rallies meant that Mujuru was no longer a VP and so its foolish to dismiss Grace rantings.

Inyika - 17 October 2015

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